I am not new to sailing, but I did sit out sailing for many years.
My first sailboat was found at a garage sale in 1983ish. The second and third soon followed.
These were small sailboats, at the 13' category. I loved every aspect of sailing, and did as much water time as I could get in.
To purchase a house, I sold my sailboats to make a down payment in 1986.
Fast forward to October 2010. I saw a paddle boat for sale at a farm store, and something clicked.
Much older, much fatter, and now with money in my pocket, I purchased a 25' MacGregor the next day at a local marina. In the next hour, I purchased my second sailboat, a 13' footer reminiscent of what I used to have.
A month later, I tried and failed to purchase a Mac 26 X. A football game got in the way. Long story.
That weekend, I purchased a power boat (my first one) with a 150 HP two stroke engine that does 0-50 MPH in a heartbeat. Great fun, but not as much fun as sailing.
About that time, I saw a craigslist ad for a free 30 foot sailboat, a Clipper Marine. It was very far away, across several states. It was without a trailer.
I had a flatbed trailer, and the ability and knowledge to build supports, so I contacted the owner, struck a bargain, and set off.
In the area of the boat, my trailer fell off my truck (broken welds) and I lost the trailer in a rain storm. Never found the trailer.
I saw the boat, but the guy gave her to someone else, as I had no trailer.
The trip cost me a great deal of money, and the Clipper Marine bug was deep inside me. I had to have one.
In my look for a CM 30, I found Dano in Canada and he offered me Superior Pleasure, his Clipper Marine 30. I am told it is in very good condition, needing very little for a boat of its age. I purchased it sight unseen, and I picker her up in the spring when the weather clears, and Dano goes back to Canada.
I very much look forward to spring!
In my search for a CM 30, I noticed right away, the Clipper Marine name had a tarnish on it, from poorly built or maintained web sites that were abandoned or neglected. Other web sites about other sailboats bad mouthed our sailboats, and could get away doing so unchallenged, as no real Clipper Marine source was available to set em straight.
www.clippermarine.org was borne.
We are young, and just getting started, but someday, we will rebuild the heritage that we deserve, about these fine sailing yachts.
This is SP in Canada, and at the bottom photo is the one that got away and the truck that lost the reciever and hitch, loosing the trailer. The trailer under the boat was not in the deal, having already been sold.
Superior Pleasure
Superior Pleasure
Superior Pleasure
Free CM 30 in OK City, that went to Tulsa I understand. The interior was 100% stripped and the rigging / sails were questionable.
The truck hitch has been rebuilt, and the lost trailer replaced with a bigger / better one.